


The Perfect Facade

by MiliusPrime



Category: Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Implied Feelings, Jealousy, M/M, Mentions of dub-con, Not betad because I'm really busy aaa sorry, Pining, Pre-Timeskip, Protective Felix, Somewhere in uhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 13:47:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20725190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiliusPrime/pseuds/MiliusPrime
Summary: One of Sylvain's conquests goes terribly wrong, and he seeks solace in Felix's company. Felix weasels the truth out of him and is out for blood.





	The Perfect Facade

Needless to say, Felix wasn’t the biggest fan of Sylvain’s habit of cavorting with women. If someone were to ask him why, however, well. Felix would likely just tell them to go bother someone else less busy with important things to do with such a stupid question.

If it was someone Felix particularly respected, which was a small enough number to begin with, he would tell them that it was a waste of Sylvain’s time that could be much better spent training. And while it wasn’t quite the truth - Sylvain was one of those infuriating people who took half the time and effort to nail something thanks to a natural ability to understand direction - it wasn’t a false statement either, and Felix didn’t enjoy dwelling emotionally on just about anything.

So, that in mind, seeing Sylvain pass by with a pretty young woman on his arm instead of training with him really wasn’t a big deal to him. He just wished for a more interesting sparring partner than the boar prince, or Ingrid, who while willing, was much too talkative about things he’d rather not talk about at all.

He might’ve criticized talking during a spar, since it divided one’s focus, but at least with Sylvain, what he had to say was amusing. But that didn’t matter, since Sylvain seemed to prefer the company of pretty, titled young women. 

Which was why, one hot afternoon, he was rather surprised to see Sylvain turn up for training. That made three days in a row, and he hadn’t seen a single girl around to watch.

“Looking at me so suspiciously like that hurts my feelings, Felix.”

“What a load of crap. Since you’re so aware of it, you clearly have something to hide.”

“I can’t just want to spend time with my best buddy, Felix?”

Felix knocked the weapon out of Sylvain’s hands so hard it went hurling to the left and stuck upright in the ground. Hot irritation flowed through him and his fingernails pressed so hard against where they curled into his palm that they left crescent moon indents in his skin.

“I’m not your buddy.” Felix bit out, and stalked over to the weapon rack and deposited his sword with more force than was necessary, causing the other weapons to rattle. “Go find somebody else to regale with your foolishness.”

“Huh? Felix wait!”

Felix sighed, but stopped walking away, though he didn’t turn around. 

“I’m uh… I’m sorry if it seems like my mind is elsewhere. It’s been hard for me to focus recently.”

Felix said nothing, but listened. 

“At least let me buy you dinner as an apology.” Sylvain insisted with what he probably thought was an endearing grin.

As much as Felix hated the idea of experiencing the “first date” Sylvain treated many a pretty young lady to, he would feel too guilty if he denied Sylvain now, the earnest expression the other man wore making him looked for all like a kicked puppy. After all, he’d been cooped up in this stuffy monastery for too long anyways. A chance to stretch his legs in town would do him some good.

He let out a loud exhale and crossed his arms. “Fine. But you better take me someplace good.”

\---

“I wouldn’t have agreed to this if you were just going to gawk at me the whole time.” The expensive skewers of meat were well-seasoned and deliciously tender, but despite his appetite Felix couldn’t stand how unusually reticent and melancholy Sylvain was acting.

“Oh, my bad. Didn’t mean to zone out on you.”

“Ugh, just spit it out already.” Felix jabbed a finger into Sylvain’s chest. “Or are you just gonna allow whatever’s got you like this to keep eating at you!”

Sylvain swallowed thickly, staring down at his plate.

“You’re gonna think differently of me.”

“I won’t.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say.” Sylvain protested weakly, though he seemed relieved.

Felix shrugged. “Don’t need to.”

“Well…” Sylvain looked around, glad they had chosen to eat outside which was all but abandoned - Felix had protested being inside where it would be ‘too noisy for him to taste his food.’ “I was seeing this girl. Gorgeous, funny. Took her to dinner.”

Sylvain glanced nervously at Felix. This was usually where he blew up on him. Felix just said nothing and took a large bite of his meat skewer. Sylvain cleared his throat and continued.

“We saw each other more and more frequently. She was smart, and almost as good a flirt as me. More than that, she genuinely seemed interested in who I was myself, instead of my crest or my family… or money.” Sylvain clasped his hands together on top of the table. “I guess that’s why it was so easy for her to fool me.”

“I won’t go into detail since you’re eating and I’d rather not risk you bruising my face,” Sylvain rushed out placatively, “But long story short, she got me into bed and despite my insistence she…” 

Sylvain’s usually lively face was pale and drawn. “...Didn’t let me pull out.” He covered his face with his hand. “She was like a different person afterwards. Wouldn’t give me the time of day, not to mention let me near her. Spread rumors that I’d _ forced _ her. Let me know in no uncertain terms that she thought she was pregnant and that if she was she’d demand at the very least a large sum of money, if not marriage.”

Sylvain chuckled humorlessly. “The whole time I was powerless to do a thing. Ironically enough, it was the jealousy of other women interested in me that saved me. Demanded proof from her of anything she said. She only backed down when they drove her into a corner, since she didn’t get pregnant after all despite her wishes.”

“I guess I should consider myself lucky, huh. But their support just made me feel even worse. It wasn’t for me.” Sylvain shook his head bitterly. “It was for my name. My reputation. My viability as their potential marriage conquest. I suddenly couldn’t stand being around anyone anymore so… I used you as a shield, I guess. Sorry.” 

Felix sat stiffly, feeling like fire was burning in his very veins from how enraged he was. A whirlwind of questions spun in his mind. He couldn’t choose which one to ask first. Names. He wanted names. Why come to him for protection? Did he feel safe around him? He wanted to know that one very much. And finally, despite how he acted, Sylvain was no fool. So why did he always put himself in situations ripe with chances to be let down? 

Sylvain grew restless in his silence. “Ah, look at me, ruining your meal with my depressing story. My bad, I’ll keep it to myself next time.” He hurriedly began to rise from his seat. “I’ll leave you alone to enjoy your meal -_ woah! _”

Felix grabbed his wrist and jerked him back down into his seat and held him there, grip tight as he looked him in the eyes, fixing him with an intense glare. 

“Or… not?”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, Sylvain!” He demanded - of all the questions it was this one that hissed, unbidden from his lips, confusing even himself though he didn’t stop to care. “You know I could have helped you. This wouldn’t have happened.”

Sylvain looked surprised - gaze darting down quickly to Felix’s vice grip that was still on his wrist before flickering back up to his eyes. “I… didn’t realize you’d be interested.”

That quieted Felix’s outburst for a second. “While I definitely don’t understand why you insist on being the academy’s most-desired bachelor or whatever, that doesn’t mean I’m so heartless I wouldn’t help you.”

“Oh. I see.” Sylvain said, stupidly. 

Irritation flared up in Felix’s gaze again, tinging his pale cheeks red. “I’m not incapable of emotion, you know. Far from it. _ I _ just don’t let it lead me around by the nose.” He fixed him with a pointed gaze.

“Haha, yeah. I deserve that one.” Sylvain admitted, scratching the back of his nape with his free hand.

That just reminded Felix of all the things Sylvain _ didn’t _deserve, but had happened to him anyway. 

“Why _ do _ you need to court _ all _ these women? I’m well aware of the pressure your parents put on you, but I’m sure your father would be satisfied with half the effort you’re putting in. Or less.”

“It’s not that.” Sylvain thought about it for several moments as he attempted to come up with an explanation. “I know it probably doesn’t make much sense, but even if it’s not about me, it’s still my name, my body, and my efforts. I’m still the one who perfectly arranged their greatest fantasy and reeled them in. And I’m _ good _ at it. My name has always been the greatest thing I’ve ever had. Nothing could ever make me feel worthless as long as it was mine.”

“-Besides, if I wasted it, Miklan would roll in his grave. I’m sure he’s not the only one who gave up everything for a chance at what I was born into this world with.”

Illogical and twisted as it was, it _ did _ make sense. Still, being reminded of Sylvain’s abomination of an older brother put a sour taste in his mouth. He’d been privy to plenty of his abhorrent acts. Having followed Sylvain around a lot in their younger days, it became easy to recognize when something had happened even when he wasn’t there to witness it in person.

“Miklan tormented you enough to deserve everything he suffered.” Harsh, maybe, considering his fate. But while Felix might hold back emotion, he never held back judgement. 

Sylvain just squelched a tight-lipped smile and shrugged, like he wasn’t sure if that was true or not. But the smile oddly crumply and sank, and with it, Felix’s stomach, as he immediately recognized the expression on Sylvain’s face that meant he was struggling not to be emotional. He might have been a willing open book in everything else, but Sylvain never allowed others to see his vulnerability. He’d seen that look several times when they were kids, but even then older boy had never risked Felix seeing his raw pain, just abruptly running off to hide somewhere, leaving him behind. 

Felix rocketed from his seat - belatedly realizing he had been holding Sylvain’s wrist the whole time (oh well, whatever, that was useful actually) and dragged him out of the establishment, wordlessly chucking money at the baffled owner despite this whole thing having supposed to be Sylvain’s treat. None of that mattered right now, he was getting Sylvain out of here, and he was doing it as quick as possible.

He could hear Sylvain’s breathing escalating behind him and it urged his feet even faster as he led them to the nearest cover he could find, ducking around back a store long closed, deeming a short segment jutting out the wall that formed a little alcove on one side sufficient privacy. 

“Don’t- gah -let anyone see me.” Sylvain wheezed out, as he struggled to regain his control. Felix immediately shifted in front of where Sylvain slumped into the shadow of the wall, his body shielding the one open side. 

The taller teen’s long eyelashes cast spidery shadows on his cheeks as they flickered in rapid blinking, his adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. He should probably avert his own eyes to give him more complete privacy, but he was rapidly regaining control already.

“Okay… woah… sorry about that.” Sylvain said, giving a shaky laugh and pushing off the wall when he had it together. “We can go back if you want, I’m good now and you didn’t get to finish ea-”

“It’s fine. Lost my appetite anyways. Let’s just go home.” Felix said.

“...Alright.” He could tell Sylvain wanted to argue, but decided not to. Didn’t have it in him right now, he guessed.

The whole way home Sylvain motor-mouthed next to him, a gush of chatter to bring the mood back somewhere comfortable. Normally Felix would get irritated at anybody who talked too much, but knowing it for what it was he let it go this time, instead letting his thoughts wander.

He was pretty sure at this point that Sylvain wasn’t going to tell him who the girl was since he hadn’t already - no matter. He’d find out. 

And when he did, there would be hell to pay.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Sylvix, commissioned by the wonderful, the amazing, the Top Supporter :tm: Hannah Bell. As usual she is to thank for the food. XD
> 
> More meta than anyone asked for but I'm on a mission to write the perfect Sylvix since I'm not a fan of the feminized Felix I usually see for people to make it happen. Just personal preference, no hate. *shrug*


End file.
